The City of Toronto and surrounding areas in southern Ontario are bracing for periods of heavy rain expected to begin on Thursday.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the city and the GTA, calling for approximately 15 to 30 mm of rain, running the risk of localized ponding.
Canada’s weather agency notes that a temperature dip overnight into Friday could lead to light snow in Toronto and parts of the province, most notably cottage country and areas in the north.
Peterborough-Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Cornwall and Ottawa are among the regions under a winter storm warning.
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“Light showers and drizzle will give way to rain, heavy at times, late Thursday afternoon and then change to snow by Friday morning,” Environment Canada said. “Note that the partially frozen ground may have a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.”
CityNews meteorologist Carl Lam says strong winds could accompany the snow by the end of the week.
“The snow will continue through Friday, and some areas could end up with about 2 to 4 centimetres,” Lam says. “Winds will be quite strong on Friday morning, which could make the morning commute tricky.”
The weather agency says there is still uncertainty on how this Colorado Low will impact southern Ontario, which could ultimately dictate how much rain falls in the next 48 hours.